


just let me stay here by your side (and that would be enough)

by ahomecomingking



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Hurt Peter Parker, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, actually maybe is it a spoiler yeah no it definetly is, yikes infinity war killed us all have some more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 07:03:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15310011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahomecomingking/pseuds/ahomecomingking
Summary: She wasn’t prepared for what she saw inside.Tony Stark,theTony Stark, sitting listless on a chair, staring straight ahead. Dried tear tracks ran down his face, downtheface oftheTony Stark.The same Tony “I am Iron Man” Stark.“My son, Stark.”Her voice was wet. Anger that forced its way out through tears.“Where is he.”Unsteady breath.“Please, Tony,where is he.”





	just let me stay here by your side (and that would be enough)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi pals so this is my first piece of writing!! I hope you enjoy it!!
> 
> um,,, yeah so that happened.
> 
> if anyone has any constructive criticisms or requests leave a comment!! or a kudos whatever floats your boat woohoo
> 
> also HOW many titles can we steal from Hamilton? too many. toooo many.

“ _John Watts reporting for BBC news- a week after a mystery ship, believed by many to be aliens, crashed in the center of New York, another has crash landed a few hundred miles out of the area, coming into orbit only a few hours ago. We have been unable to determine whether the nature of this ship is hostile, but we cannot be certain. Stay inside, and take precautions. Stay safe.”_

 

_“This is Sarah Palmer, CNN. A spacecraft has crashed on the border of New York and New Jersey. Nothing has appeared from the wreckage of the red plane, but we are on high alert. The world is still holding its breath after the sudden disappearance of civilians only the other day. If you are in the area, we would recommend staying as far away as you can. This has every reason to be dangerous as experts have not seen this ship’s signature before. Be careful, we will keep you updated through the night.”_

 

_“This is FOX News, breaking news from the unknown UFO that crashed out of New York last night. A figure has emerged caught on camera after it was placed at the scene-,”_

 

_“They are… is that a.. A blue figure exiting the ship-,”_

 

_“-looks as though it has no hair.. An unknown being?-”_

 

_“We have live footage from the wreckage and the being doesn’t seem aggressive at the moment but take all precautions,”_

 

_“.... oh my god.. Richard... Is that who I think…”_

 

 

_“Live recordings from the wreckage. Tony Stark, a confirmed sighting of him exiting the spacecraft. Appears injured…”_

 

 

 

_“Where has Iron Man been? And what came off those alien ships only a week ago?”_

 

May dropped the remote onto the couch and sat, the noise of the TV slowly becoming white noise around her. The news of Tony Stark emerging was… nothing but a reminder that her nephew, her _son_ , was not here. And she was. Sitting in the Leed’s living room. A tea cup balanced on her knee, Mrs. Leed’s (Rachel. Her name is Rachel.) hand clutching hers and one tight around her son.

 

Someone had started banging on the front door the day the first spaceship landed.

“ _Peter?_ ” she had cried, pushing her hands from her lap and running to the door. “Please, Peter, _please_.”

She fumbled with the lock. Her hands were shaky. The ground was shaky too.

“Pete- oh. Ned. Mrs. Leeds. Have you seen.. Have you seen Peter,” she sighed, taking in the boy and his mother.

 

He had been running, as soon as he’d gotten off the bus, he had ran the few kilometres it took to get home. His mum had opened the door and embraced him quickly, fiercely. Then he told her about Peter. About Spiderman. About the alien ships and about his internship.

 

He needed to tell Mrs. Parker.

 

They couldn’t afford to lose another family member.

 

By the time they’d made it to the Parker apartment (traffic was bad. Something about an alien ship landing in the middle of the city. Loved ones hugging others on the street. People crying. People running), the flying ship had returned to space.

 

Ned didn’t realise it carried an extra passenger.

 

He thought it was going away where it should. Space. Thought it should never come back.

 

“May,” he whispered, “Peter… he went to the ship. From school. He- I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he said as his body started shaking.

 

“So he’s not with you?”

The resigned looks on their faces were enough.

 

Mrs. Leeds had entered the doorway and put her hand on May’s forearm. “Please, Mrs. Parker, would you come back with us to ours? We wouldn’t want you on your own. It’s dangerous.”

 

May was conflicted- but her son was going to come back home, he was going to be okay.

 

“When Peter comes back home, he’ll come here. But, thank you.”

 

They exchanged numbers. They promised to call if they heard any news.

But that was 6 days ago.

 

 

That was before the people started disappearing.

 

Cars crashed with no casualties.

 

Food left uneaten in unstaffed restaurants.

 

The Parker residence left empty as May finally packed a small overnight bag. Toothbrush, a change of clothes. Deodorant. Top of Peters. Ben’s wedding band, her mother’s necklace. His favourite Lego figure, Han Solo.

 

She and Ben had saved for weeks to get that set. His 15th birthday.

She hoped it wouldn’t be his last.

 

 

“May.” That was Ned. He remained so hopeful. He had his mother. His father. “Do you think that Mr. Stark will know where he is?”

 

If anyone would know, it’d be him. Mr. Iron Man here to save the day, right? Nothing like stealing your nephew to Germany, then leaving him crying on the streets of Queens.

 

 

When Tony announced he was Iron Man, Peter had been so excited. He had been 7.

 

Peter begged and begged for tickets to the Stark Expo. It was expensive, but it was all their kid wanted. He was 9.

May’d picked up a grudging respect for the man when he stopped the drone from killing Peter. That damned plastic Iron Man mask.

 

He’d arrived on her doorstep when Peter was 15. Flashy, exuberant. “Your son’s a genius, you know?” he said whilst stepping past May into their small apartment, “He’s got an internship with me. SI. Stark Industries.”

 

 

“I… if anyone would know anything, it’d be him. I’ll… go to him tomorrow. I think he left his number in my phone,” she whispered. In all honesty, she was terrified. She couldn’t even fathom finding out the news she had been delaying all week. That Peter had been killed in the fight against something she couldn’t imagine, _in space_. Her baby. _So far away. Alone. He died alone-_

 

 

Making eye contact with Rachel, May set her still full cup of tea on the table and stood up on shaking legs. “I’ll be right back,” she excused, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

 

She couldn’t. She couldn’t. He can’t be dead.

He _won’t_ be dead.

 

 

The phone dialled until the last tone, before it picked up.

“Is this Tony Stark?” Her nerves had turned into steel. Hot and angry.

 

“This is… no, this is Pepper Potts. May I ask.. Who this is,” a female voice; exhausted. Not too dissimilar to herself.

 

“My name is May. May Parker. And my son had an internship with Tony Stark. Spiderman? He hasn’t come home. I haven’t heard from him. But Tony has. Where is he.” She felt all her worries turning into sparks within her.

 

The other end of the line was silent for a few long moments.

 

“May… Mrs., Mrs. Parker.”

 

A long, steely breath was taken in.

 

“Speaking truthfully, I don’t know, I’m sorry. The only person would know would be Tony- he came back last night. He hasn’t talked to anyone. Said nothing. I’ve tried- truly Mrs. Parker. Would you like to meet this afternoon? He might talk to you.”

 

 

 

Bag over her shoulder, she met the imposing figure at the door to the entrance to the sprawling Compound. Despite the world-ending chaos, she managed to cut an impossible classy image. “Please call me Pepper,” she began with, extending her hand.

 

Her foundation couldn’t hide the sleepless-night induced bags under her eyes.

 

The red rimmed eyes.

 

Puffy.

 

Crying.

 

“May,” she replied.

 

The only sound accompanying them were Pepper’s shoes as they walked through hall after hall in the building. Both of them were silent, and May was fine with that. She didn’t think she had the ability to hold a civil conversation right now.

 

_Hewillbealivehewillbealivehewillbealive_

 

Pepper turned to May before they entered another room.

“I’ve told him you’re coming, but he hasn’t said anything. I… I don’t know what to do. He hasn’t been like this since Afghanistan. If he doesn’t talk, don’t… take it to heart. I’m so sorry.”

 

Shaking, grasping her hand, she said “thank you.”

The two locked eyes quickly, grief almost spilling behind each facade before May turned away, doors wordlessly sliding open for her, and left Pepper in the hall.

 

 

She wasn’t prepared for what she saw inside.

Tony Stark, _the_ Tony Stark, sitting listless on a chair, staring straight ahead. Dried tear tracks ran down his face, down _the_ face of _the_ Tony Stark.

 

The same Tony “ _I am Iron Man_ ” Stark.

 

Slowly she walked up in front of him. He didn’t flinch.

 

 

“My son, Stark.”

 

Her voice was wet. Anger that forced its way out through tears.

 

“Where is he.” Unsteady breath.

 

“ _Please_ , Tony, _where is he_.”

 

 

And to her surprise, the man looked up at her and began to cry.

Chest heaving. Loud. Sobbing.

 

Ungraceful and so very un-Tony-Stark and not I-am-Iron-Man and not what May was prepared for and not right it will never be right.

 

“Tony?” she whispered.

 

Between constricted breaths, hyperventilating and still not-Tony not-Iron-Man-not-right, he mumbled,

 

“I tried, May, I tried. And, and, and I, I held him and he just, just turned to, to ash. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,”

 

 

I’m sorry.

 

I’m sorry.

 

_please mr. stark i don’t want to go please i’m sorry sir pleaseplease i’m sorry_

 

I’m sorry.

 

 

 

May didn’t realise she had sunk to the ground until Pepper’s hand rested on her shoulder, the room silenced. Tony was staring at her, tears wet on his face.

 

Distantly, she realised that she was alone.

 

“It’s okay, May, you can let it out,” someone murmured in her ear. It was her that was crying now- but all at once the tears turned to kerosene and again she was angry.

 

 

Whipping around to face the woman, she yelled, “No. _No_. You don’t understand. I can let it out and let it out but it won’t do anything! It won’t. Because my husband is dead and now because of _him_ , my nephew is too. My _son_.”

 

 

Her hand left a stinging mark on Tony’s cheek before she noticed she’d done it.

 

 

The red print separated the two’s matching tear stains, matching grief.

 

 

 

 

_You hold your child as tight as you can_

 

“That’s not a hug, I’m just getting the door for you,”

 

_And push away the unimaginable._

 

_The moments when you’re in so deep,_

_It seems easier to just swim down_

 

“I put everything in your suit; including this heater,”

 

_And so they move uptown_

 

“I think with a little more mentoring,

you could be a real asset to the team,”

 

 

_And learn to live with the unimaginable._


End file.
